Fabric holding clamp



Dec. 27, 1966 K B, SANDERS ETAL 3,293,716

FABRIC HOLDING CLAMP `Filed Sept. 28, 1964 INVENTORS KATHERINEI B. SANDERS BIORMAN S. MCEWEN eww@ United States Patent C 3,293,716 FABRIC HOLDING CLAMP Katherine B. Sanders, 1236 SE. 4th Ave., Fort Lauderdale, Fia. 33316, and Norman S. McEwen, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; said McEwen assignor to said Sanders Filed Sept. 28, 1964, Ser. No. 399,692 6 Claims. (Cl. 24-243) This application is a continuation-in-part of our copending application, Serial No. 174,616, filed February 20, 1962, now Patent No. 3,205,548.

This invention relates in general to a fabric holder and in more particularity to a fabric holding clamp.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a clamp for relatively easy holding in order to fold relatively large fabric objects such as, for example, sheets, bedspreads, blankets, draperies and the like.

In the operation of laundries, particularly those of the self-service coin type and also in the home, a problem presents itself in folding the fabric objects, after they are removed from the drier, into convenient size for handling or storing.

Ordinarily the folding operation requires two persons, one at each end of the article to be folded, and they cooperate with each other in properly folding the articles into the desired size. additional helper is available, wherein it becomes diicult for a single person to properly stretch and fold the long bulky article. Our invention is directed to a simple and efiicient clamping mechanism to engage and hold one end of the article to be folded, while the operator stretches and folds it upon itself into the desired compact form and without any assistance other than that afforded by the device of our development.

A further object of the invention is to provide a fabric holding clamp which is of extremely simple construction, easy to operate, and requiring no special skill or knowledge in attaining the desired result.

A further object of the invention is to provide a clamp constructed to firmly hold an end of the fabric which is to be folded and which increases its clamping action as pull is applied to the free end of the fabric.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a clamp of simple construction, which is composed of relatively few readily assembled parts, all of which are constructed and arranged together in such manner as to minimize the opportunity for wear, breakage or derangement, and which may be manufactured and marketed at a low price.

The use of our device is not, however, limited to laundries but may be used in any situation where fabrics have to be folded. It is of particular use in drapery shops, sewing classes, and in home economics courses where fabric folding is taught.

Further objects, advantages, uses, and adaptations of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE l is a perspective view of the device constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on the lines 2-2 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is an elevational view of a modified form of spring arrangement;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on the lines 4-4 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on the lines 5 5 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on the lines 6 6 of FIGURE 2.

Referring now to FIGURE 1 of the drawing, the entire fabric holding clamp is shown as 10, comprised of a sub- It often happens, however, that no 3,293,716 Patented Dec. 27, 1966 stantially U-shaped frame 11, end members 12 and 13, bed 14 and holding bar 15. Underneath bed 14 is a cushion 22 made of relatively soft, flexible material.

End member 12 has projections 16 on the outside thereof for fastening the holder to a counter or table top. End member 13 has like projections 17.

One end of bar 15 is held in position by means of pin 29 which runs through bar 15 and is fastened to frame 11 by means of pivot pin 30.

On top of bar 15 and tted around pin 29 is spring 31 supported at one end by nut 33 and at the other end by washer 34. Spring 31 is under compression and forces bar 15 down against bed 14 but permits raising of bar 15 on pin 29 to accommodate varying thicknesses of fabrics. It is obvious that a thicker fabric will put a stronger force against the bottom of bar 15 causing this end to be raised against the compression of spring 31.

At the opposite end of bar 15 end piece 12 is provided with an upwardly slanting projection 19 forming a slot comprised of upper surface 20 and lower surface 21. As shown in FIGURE 4, bar 15 rides along the upper surface 20 and the farther it is pushed into the slot the closer to bed 14 it comes.

The slanting upper surface 20 will compensate for different thicknesses of material. If end piece 12 is made of a rough material such as cast aluminum the rough surface of 20 will hold member 15 from moving by friction. However, if 12 is made of a material with a slick surface, for example a chrome plated surface, then the surface 20 may be roughened by serrations in order to hold member 15 at any location desired.

End piece 13 is fastened to the frame 11 by means of screws 37 fitting into the reinforcing ribs 35. Each piece 12 is fastened to frame 11 by means of screws 36 also fitting into ribs 35.

Extending below cushion 22 is spring member 23, one end of which is fastened to slot 25 in member 12 by means of hook 24. The opposite end of spring 23 is fastened around holder 32 on the bottom of pin 29.

The purpose of spring 23 is to raise the arm 15 when it is unhooked from end 12. With 15 moved out so that it does not contact surface 20, spring 23, being under tension, will tend to contract and pull against holder 32 of pin 29. As pin 29 is pivoted about pin 30 this means the upper portion of pin 33 will move in the opposite direction to holder 32. In so doing pin 29 will raise bar 15 upwardly. This permits the bar to be placed in readiness for use without having to raise and hold the bar in a raised position.

FIGURE 3 illustrates a modification of a spring which may be substituted for spring 23. Here a relatively short spring 26 is hooked to two end pieces 27, one of which is fastened to plate 28 attached to end 12, the other of which is fastened to the bottom of pin 29 in the same manner as spring 23. Spring 26, of course, could be any length desired to provide adequaate strength to lift bar 15.

Operation of the device is as follows: with the clamp in the position shown in FIGURE l, and with the operator or user standing behind the clamp, the grip 18 on bar 15 is grasped in `the right hand and moved away from the body of the user. Bar 15 travels along surface 20 until it clears the end of projection 19.

At this point, spring 23 will pull against holder 32 on the bottom of pin 29 and pivot the pin 29 around pin 30. This raises the bar 15 and holds it in a raised position.

The folded material is then placed on bed 14 and bar 15 is grasped, then lowered by handle 18 until it is below the projection 19 of end 12. Then bar 15 is moved toward the body of the user and bar 15 moves along the upper surface 20 of the slot in member 12.

As this end of bar 15 is lowered, the opposite end of the bar contacts the folded material and spring 31 pushes 3 against washer 34 thus holding bar 15 tightly against the material.

As the opposite end of the material is pulled it tends to pull bar 15 along surface 20 toward `the bottom of the slot. Any movement in this direction tends to give the bar 15 a tighter grip on the material.

After the material is straightened and folded, handle 18 is used to release bar 15 thereby releasing the end of the material and the fabric holding clamp is ready for use again.

Although we have shown and described only one embodiment of our invention it is to be understood that it is not intended to be exhaustive or limiting of the invention, but on the contrary, is given for purposes of illustration in order that others skilled in the `art may fully understand the invention and the principles thereof and the manner of applying it in practical use so that they may modify and adapt it in various forms, each as may be best suited to the conditions of a particular use, and still be within the scope of my invention.

What is claimed is:

1'. A fabric holding clamp comprising (a) an elongated bed,

(b) a frame enclosing three sides of said bed,

(c) end pieces at each end of said frame,

(d) a straight clamp bar running parallel to and disposed above said elongated bed,

(e) transverse pivot means between the sides of said frame and spaced inwardly but contiguous to a first end piece,

(f) a pin attached to said pivot means and extending vertically through said clamp bar,

(g) the second end piece having a sloping slot therein for receiving said clamp bar, and

(h) spring means beneath said bed and pivotally urging said clamp bar in a direction away from said second end piece.

2. A fabric holding clamp according to claim 1 with (i) a second spring surrounding said pin between the clamp bar and the top of said pin for urging said clamp bar downwardly against said bed.

3. A fabric holding clamp according to claim 1 with (i) said spring means having one end attachedto said vertical pin and the opposite end to the second end piece.

4. A fabric holding clamp according to claim 3 with (j) a second spring surrounding said pin between the clam-p bar and the top of said pin for urging said clamp bar downwardly against said bed.

S. A fabric holding clamp according to claim 4 with (k) said end piece having a rough edge on the upper surface of said slot for holding said clamp bar in any position along said surface.

6. A fabric holding clamp according to claim 5 with (l) fastening means for attaching said clamp to a substantially flat surface.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 506,604 10/1893 Orne 129-38 840,979 l/l907 Whetham 129-38 2,735,433 2/1956 Stephens 129-38 2,783,771 3/1957 Thomas 24-279 X WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

D. GRIFFIN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A FABRIC HOLDING CLAMP COMPRISING (A) AN ELONGATED BED, (B) A FRAME ENCLOSING THREE SIDES OF SAID BED, (C) END PIECES AT EACH END OF SAID FRAME, (D) A STRAIGHT CLAMP BAR RUNNING PARALLEL TO AND DISPOSED ABOVE SAID ELONGATED BED, (E) TRANSVERSE PIVOT MEANS BETWEEN THE SIDES OF SAID FRAME AND SPACED INWARDLY BUT CONTIGUOUS TO A FIRST END PIECE, (F) A PIN ATTACHED TO SAID PIVOT MEANS AND EXTENDING VERTICALLY THROUGH SAID CLAMP BAR, (G) THE SECOND END PIECE HAVING A SALOPING SLOT THEREIN FOR RECEIVING SAID CLAMP BAR, AND (H) SPRING MEANS BENEATH SAID BED AND PIVOTALLY URGING SAID CLAMP BAR IN A DIRECTION AWAY FROM SAID SECOND END PIECE. 